General Overview

Formed in 1823, Yates is the smallest county by population in the region. Situated in the southeast corner of the region and home to three of the Finger Lakes, the county’s economy relies heavily on agriculture and tourism. Yates is the least diverse county in the Finger Lakes Region – with a population that is 97% white – but nonetheless has seen growth in its small Asian, African American, and Hispanic populations. Yates has one of the highest child poverty rates in the region.

The unemployment rate has rebounded since the Great Recession, and though average salaries are relatively low, Yates was the only regional county in which median household income kept up with inflation since 2000.

Demographic Overview

Yates is the smallest county by population:

In 2015, Yates was home to just over 25,000 residents, or 2% of the total regional population.

The total population grew by 1.7% from 2000 to 2015, a smaller increase than the nation (14%) and state (4.3%) but above the region (1.4%).

Like other counties across our region and the state, Yates has an aging population, but to a lesser extent than some areas:

Between 2000 and 2015, the number of adults aged 60-84 increased 32% and those 85 and older grew 27% - smaller increases than the nation, state, and region, except for the state’s population aged between 60 and 84 years.

Over that period, Yates’ population under 20 fell 12%, less than the 15% drop in the region, and the second smallest decline among regional counties.

Yates is the most racially homogenous of the Finger Lakes counties:

In 2015, 97% of Yates residents were white, far above the 70% for the state and 83% for the region. White residents’ share in the surrounding counties as a whole was 93%.

Between 2000 and 2015, the small populations of Asians, African Americans, and Hispanics have grown significantly.

The share of households married with children fell from 2000:

In 2011-15, 19% of Yates households were composed of married couples with children, down 4 points from 2000. Over the same period, the share of single parents with children was steady at 9%.

The share of married couples without children increased from 32% to 35% from 2000 to 2011-15. Yates’ share was higher than in the nation (27%), state (25%), region (28%), and every other county in the region.

Arts, Culture and Leisure

In 2015, tourism revenue in Yates, at $2,628 per person, was more than double the regional figure ($1,290) and well above every other county in the region. Yates’ revenue per person rose by 81% from 2005 to 2015.

In contrast, recreational spending was low in Yates ($25 per resident) compared to the state ($331) and region ($70), and was only slightly up from the rate in 2005.

Children and Youth

Child poverty in Yates is the highest among the surrounding counties:

In 2011-15, the child poverty rate in Yates was 22%, on par with the state, nation and similar to the region (21%).

The child poverty in 2011-15 rate is the same as its rate from 2000, in contrast to increases in the region (up 7 points), nation (up 5 points) and the state (up 2 points).

Yates had the smallest share of single-parent families compared to the state and region:

In 2011-15, 33% of Yates families were headed by a single parent, lower than the nation (35%), state (37%) and region (39%).

The rate was 3 points higher than in 2000, the smallest increase among all counties in the region, which had an increase of 8 points overall.

Yates’ rate of early prenatal care is an outlier among the region:

In 2014, only 49% of mothers in Yates County received prenatal care in the first trimester, 30 percentage points below the region (79%), the state (75%), and most regional counties. Yates’ rate has consistently been much lower than the state, nation, region, and every county in the region.

The rate has decreased 16 points from 58% in 2000, more than double the next-greatest decrease among the counties and in contrast to rate increases for the state and region.

In 2014, 4.9% of Yates births were low birth weight babies, half the rate in the nation and state and below the regional rate of 7.8%. Yates’ rate was the lowest compared to every other regional county besides Livingston.

Yates had a rate of child abuse and neglect in 2015 that was far above the region and state:

Yates’ rate of 36 substantiated cases per 1,000 children in 2015 was more than double the state (14) and regional (16) rates, and higher than every county in the region besides Seneca. The rate has increased 127% from 2000 when it was 16, in sharp contrast to a 3% increase in the state and 11% in the region.

The rate of teen pregnancy in Yates – 2% in 2014 – was lower than the state (3.3%) and region (2.5%). The rate fell 41% from 2000, a lesser decrease than the state (down 53%), region (down 56%), and all but two of the regional counties.

Community Engagement

The voter registration rate in Yates County was below the state, region, and most other counties in the region:

In 2015, 72% of eligible Yates adults were registered to vote, below the state (75%) and regional figures (78%).

Yates’ rate fell by 15 points from 2000, a far greater decrease than for the state and region (both down 4 points over that period).

Yates’ voter participation rate is consistently on par or below the region but above the state:

In the 2014 midterm elections, voter turnout in Yates was 35%, 10 points above the state and on par with the region. Yates’ rate was down 3 points from the 2010 midterms.

In the 2012 presidential election, 49% of registered voters cast votes, above the state (46%) but below the nation (54%) and region (55%). Yates’ rate fell by 6 points from the 2008 presidential election.

Yates had the highest average charitable giving increase of 20% between 2002 and 2013 compared to the nation, state, region, and regional counties. However, the average charitable donation per tax return in Yates was $3,330 in 2013, below the nation, state, region, and Monroe and Ontario counties.

Economy

Yates has the second lowest unemployment rate in the region:

In 2015, the unemployment rate in Yates was 5.0%, below the nation and state (both 5.3%), region (5.2%), and every regional county besides Ontario and Genesee.

Yates’ rate was 1 point above its low in 2000, but has made progress since the recession, falling by 2 points since 2010. Yates’ increase from 2000 was similar to the nation and region, while its drop from 2010 was smaller than the state, region, nation, and every regional county.

Overall job growth in Yates far outpaced the region:

Total jobs grew by 25% from 2000 to 2015, above the nation (15%), state (16%), region ( 2%) and every regional county. The small number of total jobs in Yates (12,094) means that large changes for individual sectors can be misleading. However, there was positive growth in two of the county’s three largest sectors – Government and Manufacturing – in contrast to decreases for the region and state. In particular, Yates 23% growth in Manufacturing bucks the statewide and regional trend of severe losses (about 33% and 34% respectively).

Yates’ average salary in 2015 ($33,300) was below the nation ($52,900), state ($67,500), region ($47,100), and every other county in the region. Yates’ average salary grew by 5% from 2000, similar to the region but below increases for the nation, state, and most regional counties.

Education

In 2015, 32% of eligible Yates children were enrolled in prekindergarten, below the state rate (47%)and the region (42%). Yates’ rate rose by 22 points from 2001, a lower increase than the state and region (both up 33 and 31 points respectively).

Yates underperformed the region and state on most Common Core-aligned tests but had higher scores on Regents:

Yates had lower passing rates for 3rd grade English (30%), 8th grade math (9%), and 8th grade English (30%) than the region. However, the passing rates for 4th grade math (49%) was higher than the state (45%) and region (44%).

In 2016, 90% of Yates students passed the Common Core Algebra 1 Regents, above the state (72%), region (75%), and every other county in the region. Yates students also scored higher than the state and region on the English Regents (92% passing).

The graduation rate in Yates was 83% in 2016, above the state (81%) and about even with the region (84%), but below most counties except Monroe.

Adults were less educated in Yates than the region:

In 2011-15, just 51% of Yates adults had attended at least some college, well below the region (61%), state and nation (both 59%). The discrepancy was similar for the share of residents who had attained a bachelor’s or higher.

Yates had a higher proportion of high school graduates (35%) than the region (29%), state (27%) and nation (28%).

Per-student spending by Yates districts was $21,000 in 2015, below the state ($22,600) but just above the region ($20,800). Spending has increased by 71% since 2000, more than for the state (48%) and region (45%).

Financial Self-Sufficiency

Yates was the only county in which median household income remained unchanged from 2000:

In 2011-15, median household income in Yates was $49,500, lower than the nation ($53,900), state ($59,300), and region ($52,300).

Yates’ median income was flat from 2000 to 2011-15, versus decreases for the nation (10%), state (4%), region (15%), and every other county in the region.

In 2011-15, 14% of Yates residents were below the poverty line, close to the state (16%) and nation (15%) and on par with the region. Yates’ rate is 1 point higher than in 2000, a smaller increase than the region (4 points) and nation (3 points).

Yates had a very low rate of people receiving temporary assistance:

In 2015, 1.0% of residents received assistance, versus 2.9% for the state and 3.1% for the region. Yates had the lowest rate among regional counties besides Wyoming and Genesee.

Yates’ rate rose by 0.5 points since 2001, greater than the regional increase (0.3 points) and in contrast to a 0.7 point decrease for the state.

In 2015, Yates had a higher rate of emergency meals served per resident than the state, region, and every other regional county except Seneca. Yates’ rate increased 176%, greater than the state (-3%) and the region (126%).

Health

Yates has a higher rate of uninsured than the state and region:

In 2014, 13% of Yates residents lacked health insurance, a rate similar to the nation (14%) but greater than the state (10%), region (7%), and every other regional county.

The rate of Medicaid enrollees (16% of residents) was lower than the state (23%) and similar to the region (17%) in 2015.

Yates’ mortality rate, while high relative to the state and region, has fallen since 2000:

In 2014, Yates’ mortality rate of 765 per 100,000 residents, greater than the statewide (618) and regional (685) rates.

Though the rate in 2014 was second-highest among the regional counties, the rate has decreased 17% from 2000, a decrease greater than in many of the other counties throughout the region.

Housing

Home values in Yates rose more than any other county in the region:

In 2011-15, the median home value in Yates was $124,200, below the nation ($178,600), state ($283,400), and region ($128,700).

From 2000 to 2011-15, the median home value in Yates rose by 19%, more than the nation (16%) and in contrast to a decrease for the region (down 2.2%). Yates’ home value rose more over that period than any other county in the region.

Yates was more affordable for renters relative to the region than homeowners:

In 2011-15, Yates renters spent 34% of their income on rent, similar to the nation (33%) and below the state (36%) and region (35%). A proportion under 30% is considered affordable.

The ratio of median home value to median income was 2.1 in 2011-15, above the region (1.9) and most regional counties but well below the nation (2.6) and state (3.5). A ratio below 2 or 3 is considered affordable.

In 2011-15, 77% of homes in Yates were owner-occupied, a higher share than the nation (64%), state (54%), and region (68%). Yates’ rate was higher than all regional counties except for Wayne.

Yates had the second-highest rate of residential building permits in the region, with 2.2 per 1,000 residents in 2014 and decreased dramatically to 0.7 per 1,000 residents in 2015. This was a 70% decrease from 2014 and an 84% decrease in permits overall since 2000.

Public Safety

Yates’ rate of serious crimes has decreased overall since 2000:

In 2015, there were 119 serious crimes per 10,000 residents in Yates, below the national (286), statewide (196), and regional (231) rates.

While the rate is only down 16% since 2000 – in contrast to decreases of a third for the state and region – Yates has the second-lowest rate in the region.

Yates had the lowest violent crime rate in the region, at 10 per 10,000, residents. This was well below the state (38), nation (37), and region (27), and was a decrease of 5% from 2000.

Yates had a similarly low property crime rate – 109 per 10,000 – in large contrast to the nation (249), state (159), and region (204). Yates’ rate fell by 16% from 2000 to 2015.

Note: Data research and analysis completed by the Center for Governmental Research.